Heroes Among Us
by julieb716
Summary: 6.25 tag - Sharing a hospital room allowed for some much needed physical and emotional healing for the partners.
_I loved the 6.25 season finale except for two things._

 _1) The ending. I couldn't stand the way Steve acted after everything Danny did for him. Danny was right. Steve was an ingrate and to say what he said about Charlie learning to hate him, too, was just too much for me._

 _2) The other thing was how the team was all worried about Steve and they barely said two words about Danny. Writer oversight? I don't think so. They treat Danny so badly at times. After all, I think they think it's The Steve McGarrett Show. I agree, no McGarrett, no Hawaii 5-0. But by the same token, no Danny, no Hawaii 5-0. And the Steve/Lou lovefest gets to me, too. Nothing against Lou's character, but why does Danny get the short end of the stick all the time?_

 _Okay, rant over. This is my quick fix for the ending._

 ******* H50 *******

The itch from the healing incision where they took a piece of his liver and the uncomfortableness of his broken ribs were keeping him awake. He really didn't want to ask for sleep or pain medication. He hated being loopy when he couldn't control his words. Where things slipped out he didn't want others to know. _Especially Steve._

Why on earth they insisted on them sharing a room, he'd never know. Maybe to confine the 5-0 hospital antics all the doctors and nurses were familiar with to one room. _Yeah, that's probably the case._

Steve had long ago pulled back the curtain Danny had shuttered earlier. If truth be told, Danny pulled the curtain to keep his burgeoning emotions in check. Not because of Steve's controlling the remote. Hell, Steve always controlled the remote no matter where they were.

No, Danny was hurting both physically and emotionally. Had been the entire week. And it was really difficult to hide his feelings from Steve when they were sharing a hospital room.

He tried to roll over on his side and grunted at the immediate discomfort in his ribs. And, of course, his diligent partner didn't miss his indiscriminate moan.

"Danny, you okay?"

"Mmm… fine."

"Didn't sound like it."

"Sleepin'."

"Doesn't sound like that either."

"Tryin' to… if someone would let me."

"Oh, excuseee me…"

"What's the matter, you can't sleep?"

"Not really."

That got Danny's attention. Rolling onto his back, he couldn't help the groan that escaped. He immediately pushed the buttons to bring his bed up to a sitting position. Looking over at Steve, his brow furrowed in concern.

"What's the matter? You hurting? You need pain meds? Want me to call the nurse for you?" Danny was on a roll.

"No, no, it's not that." The look on Steve's face was one of serious contemplation.

"Steve, what's wrong?"

"Danny, I'm sorry." Steve's voice soft, his eyes looking down at his hands folded on his stomach, he wanted to say so much more.

"What for?"

"You know."

"No, I don't know, Steven. Care to fill me in?"

Sighing deeply, Steve finally spit it out. "You saved my life, Danny. If not for you, I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, so?"

"How can you be so nonchalant about it?" Steve glanced over to his partner.

Danny smiled his "I love you" smile that always warmed Steve's heart. Got him every time.

"You'd do the same for me."

"You so sure of that?"

"Yep." Danny tried once again to get more comfortable, grunting at his miserable unsuccessful attempts.

"You need some meds?"

"Nah, they just make me loopy and then I say things I'm not aware of that get me in trouble later," he laughed.

"Oh, but I like those things. They're always great for blackmailing you with," Steve grinned.

"Yeah, exactly. That's the problem," Danny chuckled.

"Danny, I _would_ do the same for you, you know that, right?" Steve turned serious once again.

Steve's guilt palpable, he regretted what he had said earlier to his partner. About his new liver coming with Danny's negative attitude. And intimating that if their situations were reversed, Danny would have been the one shot and it would be _his_ liver in Danny's body. He didn't wish that on his best friend. He _was_ a miserable ingrate in that moment and he felt terrible about what he'd said.

Danny read the guilt on his friend's face and decided not to comment on it.

"Yeah, I do, Steve." Hesitating, he added, "Let's just not plan on either one of us getting in this kind of situation again any time soon, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, if we're gonna be in a plane being shot at, I'd much rather you be piloting the plane, you know? Not that I want to be the one shot, mind you. But I don't need that kind of stress, man. That was one scary landing, let me tell you."

Steve was quiet for a minute.

"Danno, I know what you did for me. The team filled me in while you were sleeping a couple of days ago. They told me everything." Steve looked at Danny, capturing his attention.

"Steve, I did what I had to do, okay?"

"You made a decision to save my life, rather than follow the instructions of the guys trying to help you land. I know that."

"Yeah, and?"

Steve softly said, "Thank you, buddy."

"You're welcome. Now try to go to sleep, okay?"

"I'll try," Steve smirked. "But this liver has the biggest mouth of any liver I ever met. It just doesn't shut up." He laughed as a pillow came flying at him.

"It comes with the territory. So get used to it."

"Oh, man, if I'd had a choice."

"You can give me a kidney, when it's your turn, okay? That would even things up. Then maybe I'll be able to drive the car or control the remote once in a while. Some of your DNA in my system wouldn't hurt the partnership any," Danny snarked humorously. Truth be told, he was relieved they were talking about what happened, even if it was in a roundabout way.

Steve was glad their beds were close to each other. He reached out towards his friend with his left hand and Danny took it in his right.

"I love you, buddy. You're the best." Steve's eyes were damp.

"Back at you, you big goof."

Thinking for a minute, Danny couldn't help but add, "If I didn't save you, then who would I have to argue with? Nobody else would put up with me?"

"Ha! You got that right." Under his breath, Steve added, "and I'd miss you like a son-of-a-bitch."

"Me, too," Danny whispered. "Me, too."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, the TV droning on in the background, still holding hands.

Steve broke the silence first. "By the way, Danny…" he started.

"Yeah, Steven?"

"Most of the balloons and cards were for both of us. The team and I decided to pull a joke on you."

"What? You insufferable, insensitive clod." Danny pulled his hand away from Steve's and pretend wiped his eyes.

"Danny, seriously dude, are you crying?" Steve's eyes were full of concern.

"Well, yeah, you jerk. Some of us have feelings, you know?" Danny teased with a serious tone.

"Geeze, Danno, I'm sorry."

"No you're not. I mean after all, you're the one who was shot and needed a liver to survive. Of course everyone was worried about you."

Readjusting his position, Danny sighed and said, "All I did was land a plane when I didn't have a clue what I was doing, got you to the hospital before you bled out, found out who was behind all this drug stuff while I was injured, gave you part of my liver, again while I was injured, and ended up in the hospital with an ungrateful partner. That's all I did."

"Man, now I really feel like an asshole."

"That's better. A little bit of humble pie. Now I'll be able to sleep." Smiling to himself, Danny closed his eyes. Steve didn't take his eyes off Danny for a minute.

"I _do_ love you, Danno, more than you'll ever know." A few stray tears fell down Steve's face at his quiet admission.

Danny heard the softly spoken words and choked up. "I love you, too, Steve. Always and forever," he whispered back, a few silent tears of his own pooling into his pillow.

He opened his eyes to once again lock onto Steve's. Their loyalty and devotion to each other clear, their tender acknowledgement allowed both the peace they needed to fall into a deep and healing sleep.

And with the TV still on in the background, that's exactly what they did.

 _ **~PAU~**_


End file.
